Apparatus for winding endless yarns on a spool

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WINDING ENDLESS YARNS ON A SPOOL IS DISCLOSED, THE METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING A WINDING HAVING A CONSTANT WINDING RATIO, I.E., A SOCALLED &#34;PRECISION WINDING,&#34; WHEREIN THE NUMBER OF SPOOL REVOLUTIONS PER THREAD-GUIDE STROKE IN A CROSS WINDING ARRANGEMENT REMAINS CONSTANT. THE INVENTIVE METHOD AND APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE FOR WINDING AN ENDLESS YARN FED AT A CONSTANT SPEED ONTO A SPOOL DRIVEN AT ITS CIRCUMFERENCE BY A DRIVE CYLINDER. THE THREAD IS FED TO THE SPOOL VIA A GROOVED DRUM OR A THREAD-GUIDE OPERATED BY A GROOVED DRUM. THE DRIVE CYLINDER IS DRIVEN IN KNOWN MANNER AT A CONSTANT SPEED. YET, THE GROOVED DRUM ITSELF IS DRIVEN IN DEPENDENCE UPON AND AS A FUNCTION OF THE NUMBER OF ROTATIONS OF THE YARN SPOOL OR THE DIAMETER OF THE YARN SPOOL AND THUS A CONSTANT WINDING RATIO IS MAINTAINED.

APPARATUS FOR WINDING ENDLESS YARNS ON A SPOOL Filed March 21, 1969 R. JENNY Oct. 26, 1971 2 Sheets-Shunt l INVENTOR' ATTORNEY! R. JENNY 3,615,060

APPARATUS FOR WINDING ENDLESS YARNS ON A SPOOL Oct. 26, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1969 INVENTOR M? JZA/IV y BY ,(M

ATTORNEYJ' nited States TPatent O 3,615,060 APPARATUS FOR WINDING ENDLESS YARNS ON A SPOOL Rudolf Jenny, Horgen, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Schweiter AG, Horgen, Switzerland Filed Mar. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 809,334 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Apr. 25, 1968, 6,169/ 68 Int. Cl. B65h 54/42 US. Cl. 242-18 DD 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for winding endless y-arns on a spool is disclosed, the method and apparatus providing a winding having a constant winding ratio, i.e., a socalled precision winding, wherein the number of spool revolutions per thread-guide stroke in a cross winding arrangement remains constant. The inventive method and apparatus is applicable for winding an endless yarn fed at a constant speed onto a spool driven at its circumference by a drive cylinder. The thread is fed to the spool via a grooved drum or a thread-guide operated by a grooved drum. The drive cylinder is driven in known manner at a constant speed. Yet, the grooved drum itself is driven in dependence upon and as a function of the number of rotations of the yarn spool or the diameter of the yarn spool and thus a constant winding ratio is maintained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Yarn spooling methods are known in the prior-art in which yarns are spooled on a spool driven at its circumference by a drive cylinder, the thread being fed to the yarn spool via a grooved drum or via a thread-guide operated by a grooved drum and thereafter placed upon the spool. In such prior-art constructions, the grooved drum is coupled with the drive cylinder by means of a constant rotating connection.

Methods of this variety, however, permit the formation only of so-called wild windings, i.e., windings whose winding ratio decreases as the diameter of the yarn spool increases, the angle of inclination remaining constant. The term winding ratio as used herein refers to the number of spool revolutions per thread-guide stroke to achieve a cross-winding configuration on the spool.

The so-called wild windings are limited in the extent of their use since the undefined yarn layer characteristic thereof provides highly unsafe doffing or take-off conditions for dofiing or taking the yarn off of the spool. Hence, wild windings are suitable only for staple yarns, endless yarns being unsuited for spooling in a wild winding fashion.

Therefore, so as to obtain perfect dofling conditions, endless yarns are spooled by so-called precision winding techniques to thus produce a winding having a constant winding ratio. With the prior-art precision Winding techniques and methods, the yarn spool is driven at its shaft rather than at its circumference and the grooved drum still is disposed in a constant rotational connection with the yarn spool to achieve the constant winding ratio. With these methods, however, if one were to feed the thread or yarn at a constant speed, very complicated and highly sensitive control members and apparatus would be required so as to continuously adjust the number of rotations of the yarn spool to the speed of the thread feed, since the diameter of the yarn spool increases during the spooling process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a need still exists in the prior-art for the filgfihd Patented Oct. 26, 1971 provision of a so-called precision winding technique and apparatus which produces a constant winding ratio yet which is relatively simple in construction not requiring the complicated and highly sensitive control apparatus of the prior-art. It is a primary object of the invention to satisfy this need.

A further, more specific object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for winding endless yarn on a spool, the yarn being fed at constant speed, the method and apparatus permitting a precision winding with the comparatively simple means required for obtaining a wild winding.

These objects as well as other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds are implemented by the subject invention which is characterized by the provision of both a method and apparatus for winding endless yarn fed at constant speed on a spool driven at its circumference by a drive cylinder in known manner and at constant speed, the thread being fed to the spool via a second drum or via a thread-guide operated by a grooved drum. Of particular importance to the instant invention is the feature that the grooved drum is driven simultaneously and in dependence upon the number of rotations and thus the diameter of the yarn spool so as to maintain a constant winding ratio.

The constant speed of the drive cylinder ensures that the thread is placed on the spool in accordance with its constant feeding speed while the rotational speed of the grooved drum being dependent from the spool, guarantees the constant winding ratio.

The novel apparatus for carrying out the above-described winding method preferably comprises a motordriven drive cylinder which contacts the circumference of a spool to be wound. The thread is fed to the spool via a thread emplacement device having a rotatably mounted grooved drum. The invention, from an apparatus standpoint, is characterized by the feature that a drive means engages the grooved drum and is also connected with the spool via a follower control device operatively influenced by the number of rotations or the diameter of the spool.

With this invention concept in mind, the drive means for the grooved drum is contem lated, in one preferred embodiment, to comprise a synchronous motor which is fed and operated by the follower control device by means of an impulse sender or generator disposed on the spool shaft with a subsequently disposed amplifier means. The impulse sender suitably can comprise a rim gear which cooperates with a magnetic spool, the rim gear being replaceably mounted on the spool shaft.

Alternatively, the instant invention contemplates the provision, as drive means for the grooved drum, of a variable speed transmission which is operatively influenced by the follower control device which, in this embodiment, may take the form of a diameter scanning means at the spool with subsequently disposed amplifying means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention itself will be clearly understood and additional features and advantages thereof will become obvious from the following detailed description of preferred inventive embodiments, such description referring to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts, in perspective view, an apparatus for winding endless yarns;

FIG. 2 depicts, in schematic representation, one embodiment of a follower control means for the apparatus;

FIG. 3 depicts, in schematic representation, an alternative embodiment of an apparatus for winding endless yarn constructed in accordance with the instant invention; and,

3 FIG. 4 depicts, in perspective view, a further embodiment of the instant inventive apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, an apparatus for winding endless yarn on a spool constructed in accordance with the instant invention is depicted. Such apparatus comprises a drive roller 11 which is rotatably mounted in a machine frame 12 and which further is suitably driven by a nonillustrated motor at a constant speed corresponding to the thread or yarn feeding speed. Drive roller 11 contacts a spool having a spool shaft 13 and a partial winding 14 thereon. Spool shaft 13, in this embodiment, is rotatably mounted in a fork 16 which, in turn, is rotatably or pivotally mounted about axis and machine frame 12. Additionally, a grooved drum 18 is rotatably mounted in the machine frame 12 at the inlet or input location of thread 17 and is disposed parallel to the drive roller 11 and spool 13, 14. The thread 17 which is fed to the spool 13, 14, is guided in the grooves of grooved drum 18 and is emplaced on partial winding 14 in an alternatingly lengthwise proceeding fashion from one end of the spool to the other by the rotational movement of the grooved drum.

At the outset of this specification, it was mentioned that it is of primary significance to obtain a precision winding wherein the ratio between the number of spool rotations and the thread strokes is kept constant as far as is possible To achieve this result, grooved drum 18, for example, can be driven by a motor 19, the number of revolutions of which is controlled by the number of revolutions or rotations of spool shaft 13. A generator 20 is preferably provided at spool shaft 13 therefor, the emission signals or impulses from the generator being transmitted via a suitable amplifier and frequency transducer installation means 21 to motor 19.

A follower control means of the type above-described can also be constructed such that, as best seen in FIG. 2, a rim gear 22 comprises the impulse sender and is placed upon spool shaft 13, the impulse sender cooperating with the magnetic coil 23. In this embodiment, the emission or impulse signals are again amplified by an amplifier installation 21 and transmitted to a synchronous motor 19 which directly engages or engages via a transmission with grooved drum 18. It should be obvious that each change in rotation of the spool shaft 13 as a result of the increasing diameter of winding 14 brings about a change in rotation of grooved drum 18 such that the winding ratio can be kept constant. Since it is also true that the winding speed of the thread corresponds to its feeding speed as a result of the constant drive of drive roller 11, all prerequisites for obtaining a precision winding are met.

Of course, the quality of the precision winding can be influenced by the choice of the means for the follower control installation. In many instances, it will sulfice to utilize a non-synchronous or asynchronous motor 19 and 19', respectively, and further it will sufiice to produce the rotational field by two rim gears 22. It is likewise possible and within the scope of the instant invention to simply change the winding ratio by changing, for example, the number of teeth on rim gear 22.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the above-described apparatus is depicted. Apart from the fact that the thread in this embodiment is placed on spool 13, 14 by an oscillating thread-guide 24, the oscillations being caused by the grooved drum 18, the drive of grooved drum 1-8 is achieved via a variable speed transmission 25 either of the mechanical, electrical or electronic, or alternatively, of the hydraulic type. The variable speed transmission 25 receives its basic driving energy by the drive roller 11 which, in turn, is driven at a constant speed by motor 111. The control signal effective to influence or operate the variable speed transmission 25 in dependence upon the spool 13, 14 is produced, for example, by a mechanical, electronic or other variety of spool diameter scanning installation 26, the signal of which is transmitted to the variable speed transmission 25 by an evalulation device 27 or amplifier circuit, for example.

Now, referring to FIG. 4, a further embodiment of the instant invention is depicted. Here, the follower control device comprises truly mechanical elements. The drive for the grooved drum 18 is imparted 'by a drive roller 11 through the means of a disc drive having discs 2-8, 29 and 30. As is known, a change in rotational speed can be made with this type of arrangement at disc 28 and thus at grooved drum 18 by a radial displacement of the transmission disc 29 on the discs 28 and 30. For this purpose, shaft 31 of disc 29 is mounted so as to be axially displaceable and further is provided with a sensor 32 which senses the position of an adjusting cam 33. In this embodiment, the adjusting cam 33 is rigidly mounted on a rotatable axis 15 of fork 16 which bears the spool shaft 13. Here, the winding ratio can be adjusted without difficulty by parallel displacement between shaft 31, disc 29, and sensor 32 by means of a scale 34 as is illustrated in FIG. 4.

Although the increase in diameter at the spool and thus the angle of rotation at fork 16 is proportional to the change of rotation at spool shaft 13, the control accuracy of the number of rotations or revolutions of grooved drum 18 in the alternative embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 conceivably will be of lesser magnitude than would be the case if the follower control installation pursuant to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 were utilized. As abovementioned, a precision winding achieved by the inventive apparatus pursuant to FIGS. 3 and 4 should, in most cases, be sufficient taking into consideration the desired quality of the yarn and particularly the later dofiing or take-off conditions. Nonetheless, all embodiments of the instant invention herein described permit winding of endless yarns through precision winding techniques with relatively simple and inexpensive means.

As should now be apparent, the objects initially set forth at the outset of this specification have been sucessfully achieved, accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for precision winding endless yarn on a spool, said apparatus comprising: spool means upon which the thread is to be wound; a motor-driven drive cylinder means contacting the circumference of the spool means; a thread emplacement installation means comprising a rotatably mounted grooved drum for feeding the thread to said spool means; drive installation means engaging said grooved drum, said drive installation means being operatively connected with said spool means via a follower control installation means responsive to the number of rotations of said spool means, said drive installation means for said grooved drum comprises an electric motor; said follower control installation means comprising an impulse sender means disposed on the shaft of said spool means for generating a signal in response to the number of revolutions of said spool shaft and which signal controls operation of said electric motor, and amplifier means operatively connecting said electric motor with said impulse sender means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said impulse sender means comprises a generator.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said impulse sender means comprises at least one rim gear and magnetic coil means cooperatively disposed with said rim gear.

4. An apparatus for precision winding endless yarn delivered at a constant speed on a spool, said apparatus comprising: spool means including a spool shaft and upon which the thread is to be wound, a motor-driven drive cylinder means contacting the circumference of the spool, a thread emplacement installation means incorporating at least a rotatably mounted grooved drum for feeding the thread to said spool means, drive installation means including an electric motor provided for said grooved drum, a follower control installation means responsive to rotational speed of said spool shaft interconnected between said spool means and said electric motor for said grooved drum, said follower control installation means incorporating generator means driven by said spool shaft for generating a signal as a function of said rotational speed of said spool shaft, and amplifier means for transmitting the generated signal to said electric motor for said grooved drum to control operation of said electric motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Parks 24243 Abbott, J r 24226 Abbott 24226 X Bartholomew 24226 Broden 24226 Noordenbos 24226 X U.S. Cl. X.R. 

